


Something I Want

by calangkoh



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist (Anime 2003), Fullmetal Alchemist - All Media Types, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: Alternate Universe - Tangled (2010) Fusion, Canon-Typical Violence, Emotional Manipulation, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, M/M, Tangled AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-18
Updated: 2018-10-02
Packaged: 2018-12-03 22:25:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 17,169
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11541669
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/calangkoh/pseuds/calangkoh
Summary: This is the story of how I died...but don't worry this is a really fun story, and the truth is, it isn't even mine. It's a Tangled AU.Dante wants to live forever. Edward wants to leave the tower, and Ling just wants a life of luxury. But, come on. Does anyone really ever know what they want?





	1. Chapter 1

_Once upon a time,_  
_There existed a desert city of prosperity._  
_Its citizens were as the sands they dwelled on:_  
_Golden and warm like the sun._

_This city thrived with knowledge far beyond its time,_  
_A lost art that could only be comprehended as magic_  
_With which they could rearrange things in the world,_  
_Destroy things in favor of recreating._

_Though the thing they sought after was immortality._  
_However, their magic could not upset balance,_  
_And it was impossible to equal the value of eternal life._  
_However, one exceptional scholar discovered a way._

_Using the lives and knowledge within the city,_  
_Dante created the Philosopher’s Stone._  
_She used the stone’s power to keep herself young and healthy for centuries._

_Eventually a new kingdom grew in the distance,_  
_And it was ruled by a beloved king and queen._  
_With the upcoming arrival of the queen’s baby,_  
_Came a strange illness._

_In desperation, the kingdom searched for a miracle,_  
_Scouring texts and accounts of the Stone._  
_Dante was forced from her home and to give up the Legendary Philosopher’s Stone._

_Mixed into an elixir, the Stone healed the queen._  
_A healthy baby prince was born with hair and eyes_  
_As golden as the sun._  
_His name was Edward._

_To celebrate the birth of their baby,_  
_The king and queen launched a lantern into the sky._  
_For a moment, everything was perfect;_  
_But that moment ended._

_Dante snuck into the castle,_  
_Stole the baby,_  
_And disappeared without a trace._

_The kingdom searched and searched_  
_But could not find their missing prince._  
_For locked away within the walls of a tower,_  
_Dante raised the child as her own._

_She had found her new Philosopher’s Stone,_  
_And she was determined to keep it hidden._  
_But the walls of the tower could not hide everything._

_Each year on his birthday,_  
_The king and queen launched thousands of lanterns,_  
_In hope that one day,_  
_Their Lost Prince would return._

\---

The misty haze of a hot summer morning still hadn’t cleared when Edward slammed the shutters of the tower window open, disrupting the peace of the forest, an annoyed expression painted on his face.

Along the window sill, behind a flower pot, hid the source of his frustration. A small green lizard snickered, holding a piece of chalk between the front two of its six feet.

Edward caught sight of the lizard’s mistake, a line drawn to its hiding spot from the chalk he had dragged away from its home. He smirked.

Edward focused and clapped his hands together, a small red spark emitting from the contact. With the power activated by the action, he pressed his hands to the window sill. A few sparks of red electricity zapped through the wood, up the flower pot, and through the stalks of the leafy plant. The plant extended its vines and quickly wrapped around the target, trapping the lizard and presenting it to Edward.

“Gotcha. Give me that! It’s my last one.”

The lizard, though unhappy, yielded the piece of chalk.

“Stop taking my stuff, Envy.”

Envy rolled its large eyes.

“Look, I know you’re bored, but that doesn’t mean you can take it out on me. Find something else to do!”

Envy brightened and turned in Edward’s hands, using its tail to point eagerly to the outside world. Edward followed the gesture, eyes brimming with longing at the sight of the rich green grass and rippling pond at the base of the tall stone tower. He sighed, his previously boisterous voice softening.

“I told you, you can leave any time. You know I can’t go outside, buddy.”

Despite the obvious disappointment, Envy crawled up to his shoulder.

“Alright then. Back inside we go.”

The morning went by slow, as always. Edward finished his chores before the sun had completely risen. The floors were swept and scrubbed, the dishes and laundry done, every inch of the tower dusted and polished. The morning routine was required, since anything less than perfect would put Dante in a bad mood, but Edward also appreciated all of the tasks to pass some of the time.

The rest of the morning, Edward would shuffle through his many hobbies in desperation to keep boredom away. Living for seventeen years in a tower provided plenty of time to master multiple skills. Besides having read an entire shelf of science books ten times each, he was proficient at baking, knitting, chess, guitar, and also spent time with puzzles and crafts. When he got antsy, he’d climb the rafters and test his strength, or even run in circles around the room when he was desperate for movement.

His best hobby was displayed by walls of the tower, which were covered inch to inch with equations and what Dante called “transmutation circles.”

Every time Ed used his power, he’d have to envision a specific and unique transmutation circle and to understand it fully. Many circles came naturally to him, as if someone just provided it to his subconscious. Others he’d spend days or weeks on. They all had to follow laws of science, most specifically, equivalent exchange. If he wanted to make something, he couldn’t summon it out of thin air. As his books said, mass is not created or lost.

Currently, he was working on a circle and a design to create a lantern that would fly. Unfortunately, it wouldn’t fulfill the dream he had to go and see the floating lights himself, to get out of the tower for at least one day.

He finished his sketch of a lantern design, the way the material would wrap around the wooden frame and the way the flame would be held far away enough from the walls, and the flashy design on the exterior.

Envy rolled its eyes at the cheesy drawing of a demon. Edward’s taste was always gaudy. Cleary, its little sigh didn’t go unnoticed.

“Hey, shut up. It looks awesome. It’s gonna be cool as hell when I let it loose tomorrow night.”

Edward turned to look out the window, where the morning sun began to streak through, meaning Dante would return soon. No matter how hard he tried to convince himself, he knew it wouldn’t satisfy the lust for adventure burning deep within him. He wanted more than anything to see the floating lanterns.

“Maybe now that I’m older, she’ll let me go,” he voiced with uncertainty.

\---

The sun in the sky signified it being no earlier than eight in the morning. If there was one thing Ling loved about the summer, it was the length of the days. The sun rose as early as four, and didn’t set until as late as nine. From the top of the castle, he let the warmth of the sun engulf him.

Squinting through the light, he caught sight of the view from the roof. He stretched and sighed.

“What a view! Such a beautiful country.”

There was shuffling behind him, and a young voice snapping him out of his moment of bliss.

“Ling! Come on!”

Mei and Lan Fan stood over an open panel. As usual, the two couldn’t let him have more than a moment of peace.

“Having a castle would be nice,” Ling mused, oblivious to the death glare Mei was giving him.

“Once we get the Stone, you can live in your own palace if you want!”

Ling sauntered over to the panel and kneeled next to the two girls.

This was their lead, and it was a good one. They had discovered traces of red water in the catacombs of the castle, its probable source blocked off by rocks, just as Marcoh had said. The former scientist had worked in a team to understand the magic of the ancient kingdom, and under loose supervision of the king, created red water. Unfortunately, it was extremely toxic when it wasn’t refined into stone.

That meant somewhere in the castle was a laboratory where the red water was being compressed into a solid, which in theory, would be like the legendary Philosopher’s Stone: able to create out of nothing and to heal anything.

Mei analyzed the room they had broken into, and sure enough, beakers and test tubes full of a wine-like fluid stood below. In a conspicuous container was a shiny red stone, unguarded except for a glass display case.

“There. Ling, you know what to do.”

Normally, taking orders from Mei, nevermind her age and small size, would be the last thing Ling would do. In fact, he’d normally do the exact opposite of what she told him, but their alliance to get their ticket to a better life mattered more than a lifelong rivalry.

Ling rolled his eyes and tied the rope around his waist, swallowing his pride as the two girls relished in his absence of any sarcastic remarks. He gave them a nod, and lowered himself through the open panel into the room.

He lifted the glass case and plucked the stone from its pedestal, and replaced the lid back on the table. Two scientists stared at him mouths agape, and Ling couldn’t keep the mischievous grin from his face.

“Excellent work, gentlemen! I’ll be taking this now. Have a wonderful day!” Ling sung as he tugged on the rope and was hoisted away, leaving the two panicked men to call the guards.

The three jumped from roof to roof until they reached the bridge connecting the kingdom to its surrounding forests, and then they broke into a sprint as the howling and barking of the military dogs grew louder. Not quite the vacation Ling was looking forward to, but he’d have a lifelong vacation once this job was over.

\---

Basket in hand, Dante checked for followers as she took her alternate route to the tower nestled in the cliffs. She reached the concealed cave leading to the little cove and checked one last time before entering through the thick foliage.

The tower was probably her finest display of alchemy in a few hundred years. It was a necessary use of her skill despite the years it added to her body. Of course, Edward often pointed out that the reason she found the tower so beautiful was because she wasn’t confined to it. He’d ask to see it from the outside, but she could see the deceit in his eyes. As soon as she brought him down, he’d run off. Even if he came back, she couldn’t let him get the taste of the outside world.

She reached the base of the tower and called up. As usual, Edward took his time responding. Let him exert the little control he has, Dante dismissed.

When he finally appeared in the window with the rope, Dante smiled.

“I’m not getting any younger! Come on now,” she called with the lightest voice she could manage. Edward always responded better if she started the day off with a friendly demeanor. The grin she could make out from fifty feet below predicted he’d be cooperative today.

The rope was sent down. She looped it into a foothold and watched the ground get farther until she arrived at the window.

“Hey, Mom,” Ed smiled.

“I called you five minutes ago.”

“I was busy,” he replied curtly. His expression suddenly shifted, as he caught his tone. “Anyway, welcome home!” He smiled brightly.

He wanted something.

Dante placed her basket on the nearest table. Ed spotted the notebook and dropped his cheery facade.

“Did you find anything new?” Anything new about the stone.

“Yes, I did, but it’s nothing you can help with. It’s too complicated for you.”

“Oh come on, please?”

“No.”

Ed’s face contorted into a pout.

“That’s a good look for you,” Dante scoffed before walking over to the full length mirror. She caught Ed’s pouty face shift into an even poutier face, before he plastered on a smile and joined her at the mirror.

“There’s something I wanna ask--”

Here it comes.

“Have you gotten smaller, Dear? That might explain why you took so long to pull the rope.”

“N-no I don’t think so.”

“You know I just worry about you. You’re very small and weak for your age.”

Ed sulked.

There we go. Dante couldn’t stop her satisfied smirk crossing her face.

“Edward, dear, I’m feeling a little run down. Would you please?”

Ed nodded half heartedly and put his hands together. There was a slight spark, and he put his hands on Dante’s shoulders. Wrinkles cleared from her face, her hair regained the rich dark color, and her posture improved.

Ed shifted uncomfortably.

“How much of the stone is left?” Dante asked.

Not meeting her eyes, he responded, “I don’t know. I think it could last another year at this rate. You need to use it so much more often now. Maybe we should--”

“I’m going to find a way to stop it from depleting, Edward. Don’t you worry. I wouldn’t put you in danger. You know that.”

Ed nodded.

Alchemy that obeyed the law of mass action, where no matter is created or lost, didn’t require the stone’s energy; just Ed’s energy and the stone’s knowledge. Things that went against the balance of nature, like reversing aging cells, depleted the stone.

Years ago Dante’s research to create a new stone backfired, resulting in her having to care for a nuisance of a child. As soon as she got her hands on another stone, she would finally use up the last of the original stone and be free of Edward.

“There’s something I wanted to ask you,” Ed persisted. She thought she had quelled that fire, but apparently he was still being needy.

“What is it?”

“Well, tomorrow is my birthday.”

“Didn’t we just celebrate your birthday recently?”

“Yeah. One year ago.”

It suddenly dawned on Dante that her years were getting shorter, and Ed’s deadline wasn’t as much time as she hoped. She might have to use her original method of creating a stone after all. She needed to start planning.

“Well. Happy birthday, Dear.”

“Thanks. I wanted to know if, for my birthday, since I’m turning eighteen, if I could go see the lanterns.”

“The what?”

“Well, I assume they’re lanterns. The floating lights. I wanted to go and release my own. Make a day out of it.”

“You want to go outside?”

“Well, yeah. Of course I do.”

Dante shook her head and sighed.

“Edward, do you really believe you can handle the outside world?”

Ed’s eyes shot to the window. Thick green forests blanketed by a clear blue sky, the sound of birds and wind through the leaves carrying the smell of summer. All of it was just within reach.

Dante intercepted his longing gaze.

“Edward, look at me,” she lifted his chin to have him meet her eyes. In the sweetest voice she could possibly muster, with a warmth that just no longer existed within her, “You’re short and weak, naive, ditzy, and the world is a dark cruel place. Humans are pathetic, selfish beings. They’d take that enthusiasm of yours and suck it right out. I’m saving you from them, but I know it’s hard for you to understand.”

Ed got defensive, “I understand! I’m not an idiot.”

“Are you sure you understand?”

“Yeah. It’s dangerous outside and people are terrible and I’m safe in here. There’s not much to get.”

Dante looked smug.

“Then if you can understand such a simple concept, then you understand why you’re not ready to leave the tower. Someday, Edward, but definitely not anytime soon.”

“Promise?”

Dante had promised a million things that she had no intention on delivering. What’s one more empty devotion?

“I promise, Sweetie.”

As if given the world through those words, Edward grinned with his unstoppable spirit shining through. Dante rolled her eyes as she left him alone once again.


	2. Chapter 2

Lungs and feet burning, the trio of Xingese orphans skidded to a stop by a large tree in the Amestrian forests, panting hard.

“Well it looks like they’ll have to update these wanted posters,” Mei gestured to the papers tacked to the tree. Along with “Xingese spies” scrawled beneath drawings of them, they’d have to add “thievery.”

Ling ripped the poster from the bark and scowled.

“What an unflattering picture of me!”

Mei rolled her eyes. “Who cares, Ling? Amestris was already hostile towards Xing, and now we could’ve just started a war!”

“All because of us.” Lan Fan paled.

As the two girls exchanged panicked glances and whispered among each other about their next move, Ling blew the bangs out of his face. Mei could pretend she was in charge all she wanted, but she forgot that the alliance to infiltrate Amestris and find immortality was his idea.

“You two aren’t thinking big enough. We just stole top secret research. Amestris won’t start a war over the stone, because then they’d have to admit they created one. Then all of the kingdoms will be out for Amestris.”

Mei blinked, and her eyes lit up in hopeful understanding.

“So they’ll just ignore us taking the stone because they know we’ll keep quiet about it, too. They clearly know how to make another one, anyway.”

Ling nodded. “And next thing you know, Xing and Amestris have an unspoken alliance. Sure, they’ll be holding a knife behind their backs, but as long as they have this secret between them they’ll be forced to cooperate. Not to mention, Xing will have the upper hand.”

He didn’t care too much about the affairs between the kingdoms, but he wasn’t naive. He knew he couldn’t steal a potential super weapon from another kingdom without any disastrous consequences. Of course he thought it through.

Dogs barked in the distance.

“Time to get going again,” Ling ruffled Mei’s hair condescendingly before breaking into a run, tightening the strap of the satchel around his shoulder.

They didn’t get too far before reaching a dead end. A cliff caged them in.

“Alright, give me a boost and I’ll pull you up.”

“Good idea. Just...give me the satchel, first,” said Mei warily.

“What, you don’t trust me? After all we’ve been through?” Ling pouted.

Lan Fan and Mei looked at each other, expressions saying plenty.

“Fair enough,” he shrugged. He handed over the bag.

Mei climbed on top of Lan Fan, and Ling climbed on top of Mei to reach the top of the cliff. He didn’t even try to avoid putting his feet in her face in the process. The fact was not lost on Mei.

“Just help us up, Ling!”

Ling smiled, a smile Mei knew all too well from growing up with him. She stared at him, holding the bag he had slipped off her shoulder, tears prickling her eyes.

“Oh don’t cry Mei, you didn’t actually think I’d split the reward with you two, did you?”

Mei looked away. She was so stupid. She should’ve learned by now that Ling was always out for himself.

He took off, with only a twinge of sympathy for the two girls.

Unfortunately for Ling, Mustang had split his troops. He found himself still being chased on this alternate road, arrows whistling past his ears.

_If I die, it would definitely be well-deserved._

But Ling was an exceptionally fast runner, and the only thing able to keep up with him was the leader of the pack of military dogs.

“Go get him, Black Hayate!” Mustang’s voice sounded through the trees.

The shiba inu took off like a little rocket, and when Ling looked back to see the small furry demon hot on his trail, he couldn’t help but scream a curse.

The dog jumped and snapped his jaw at the air until he found something to latch onto. The strap of the satchel nearly choked Ling as he was yanked back. Despite being the smallest dog on the squad, he felt like he weighed a ton as Ling attempted to keep his pace.

Soon the satchel was off his shoulders, however, and he was playing tug of war with it.

“Let go, you mutt!”

He yanked, and the satchel went flying over both of their heads. Onto a tree branch. Growing off the side of a steep cliff. Of course.

Ling was starting to hate Amestrian geography.

Ling and Black Hayate looked at each other before racing to the cliffside. Ling kicked the dog, the dog bit at his pants, causing him to trip, and Ling tackled the dog to the ground. He squirmed free from his grip and walked onto the tree, but Ling launched himself. He missed and struggled with the tree, wrapping his arms around the trunk in a tight hug, beneath him was a deathly fall. Hayate snapped his jaws at Ling’s fingers, but Ling kept scooching himself toward the satchel on the farthest branch.

With a cry of victory, he snatched the bag and dangled from the tree with one hand. Hayate growled at him.

Then they heard a snap.

Down the tree fell, bouncing when it hit the slope and snapping in two. Ling and Hayate were thrown off, sledding down the rest of the dirt mound at the base of the cliff in opposite directions.

Hayate immediately put his nose to the ground upon landing safely, while Ling ducked behind a nearby rock.

When the dog was far enough away, he stood up and put his hand on the vine-covered rock behind him, but to his surprise, his hand went right through. Behind the vines was an entrance to a cave. Hearing Hayate bark, he entered it with his satchel clutched tightly to his chest.

The growling of the dog faded, and Ling released a breath. He tightened the satchel around his shoulders and walked through the cave towards a light at the opposite end. The exit of the cave brought him to a tall stone tower. Hearing a dog barking again, he made the split decision to climb it.

\---

A man burst through his window and slammed the shutters closed, and Ed was convinced he was imagining things. Almost eighteen years in a tower and he’s finally losing it. But then the man sighed and slipped a bag off his shoulders.

Ed grabbed the frying pan on the kitchen counter and charged. The man barely finished turning around before the pan was slammed into the side of his head, and he crumpled to the floor.

“Take that! Who the hell are you?! You think you can just barge in here?!”

No answer.

“Shit, did I kill him?” Ed’s heart sunk to his stomach. Envy jumped from Ed’s shoulder to inspect the body. It shook its head after a moment.

Relieved, Ed bent closer. He flicked the dark bangs away to get a better look at his face, and a million thoughts ran through his head as he studied it, observing every detail.

His skin tone was darker, more olive than his. Then again, Ed realized anyone must have darker skin than him, who had never been out in the sun. He had an oval face with high cheekbones, and lashes as dark as his hair. He looked to be quite tall and lanky. Ed couldn’t stop himself from reaching out a finger to poke the man’s cheek.

Unfortunately, that backfired, and his dark eyes flickered open. Naturally, Ed panicked and whacked him again.

Ed didn’t even think. He just dragged him over to his closet. After struggling with the tall, limp body, he pulled up a chair to the doors to keep it closed.

He backed up until he caught sight of himself in the mirror, frazzled and ready to fight the next thing to challenge him. Slowly, a grin spread across his face.

“So! Mom,” Ed spoke to his reflection, “think I’m too small and weak, huh? Tell that to the guy I just beat up.”

Envy rolled its eyes and went over to the bag still on the floor while Ed continued to pat himself on the back, swinging the frying pan on his finger confidently. It shifted through the paper and clothing stuffed inside until it came across something small and shiny.

“What do you have, Envy?”

Envy froze. Ed made his way over to pick up what the lizard had tried to steal.

“Is this…”

Ed analyzed the makeup of the stone. It seemed to be a dense combination of tons of different elements and materials. Really dense. As in, you could use it to create almost anything you wanted, and heal almost any ailment or injury. Almost.

“It’s like the Philosopher’s Stone. But...it’s missing a lot of important ingredients.”

Like human lives for instance.

He had to show this to Dante. She was looking for a way to create a stone without taking human lives, and it looks like someone else was as well. That, or this other person just didn’t know how to make one properly...yet.

“Edward!”

Dante’s voice snapped him out of his thoughts. He stuffed the stone back into the satchel and tossed it into a nearby pot.

“I’m coming, Mom!” He threw down the rope.

“I have a surprise for you!” She called up as she grabbed it.

“Um. Me too!” He laughed nervously between pulls.

Dante arrived at the window.

“I brought milk. I’m making you stew tonight.”

“Oh. That’s great. Listen I have something to tell you.”

“I hate to leave after a fight. Especially after I’ve done nothing wrong,” she ran her hand through her hair.

“Yeah, I know, just I have to tell you something. Two things actually--”

Ed grinned and hopped over to the closet door, hand grasping the chair in front of it eagerly.

“I hope you’re not still on the lights thing.”

“I’m not. But it’s kind of related.”

“I really thought we dropped the issue, Sweetheart,” Dante said, an edge like a dagger in her voice. Edward didn’t notice, too excited to prove himself.

“You think I’m too weak to handle myself but get a load of--”

“Oh, I know you’re too weak to handle yourself.”

His face reddened. His voice rose. “Just listen! Look at--”

“We’re done talking about this.”

“...what I can--”

“Edward!”

“Come on!”

“ENOUGH! You are never leaving this tower! EVER!”

Edward froze with his hand on the closet door, staring at Dante with wide, terrified eyes. Her own eyes shifted and softened, before she sighed and let her forehead fall into her hand.

“Look what’ve you made me do,” she breathed.

Ed couldn’t help but blame himself. His mother had done everything for him. She kept him protected and and cared for him, yet all he ever did was want to leave her. What kind of fairness was that?

Then again, him spending eighteen years in a tower, something he hated, had to have earned him something he wanted desperately.

He glanced at the walls, every inch covered in his equations and sketches. Every inch covered in his desperation to keep himself occupied with something he enjoyed, but it was never enough to be surrounded by the same thing through it all.

“All I was going to say, Mom,” he realized the words came through gritted teeth, and he took in a shaky breath. “I know what I want for my birthday.”

“What, Dear?”

“I need some more chalk, actually. I’m out.”

“That’s a long trip, you know. I won’t be back in time for your birthday.”

“Well I could always go get it myself,” he forced his usual mischievous tone, but it only came out shaky and sad.

Dante scoffed. “Alright. You’ll be okay on your own?”

“I know I’m safe as long as I’m here.”

Dante reached her arms out, and Ed quickly obliged the hug.

“I love you, Dear. I’ll be back in three days.”

Ed squeezed tightly, gave a quick “Love you, too,” and let Dante give him a loving pat on the head.

They packed some food into her basket, and she was off, giving one final wave to Edward before exiting the clearing through the cave.

Once she was out of sight, he sprinted to the closet door.

\---

Ling’s head throbbed, and there was a sharp pain in his neck. His surroundings didn’t look familiar, and he couldn’t quite remember how he got here. Then again, it was hard to completely examine them with two enraged eyes just inches from his face.

“Can I help you?” Ling quipped.

The young man backed up and flared his nostrils, though his angry expression wasn’t all that intimidating with his round face and short stature. Ling instantly noticed his golden hair and eyes.

“Yes! You can!” He snapped.

Ling tried to rub his head, but his hands were tied to the arms of a chair. Now he was on high alert.

“Well I don’t think I can with me being tied up and all. Strange customs. Could you release me? I don’t really like being confined.”

“You and me both buddy, which is why I have a favor to ask.”

He felt the sharp pain in his neck, like something was biting him. He turned his head to see a little green...lizard of some sort. He shook his shoulders until the lizard crawled onto the back of the chair. Not any better, with it eyeing him like that.

“What is that thing?”

“Hey! Focus! First of all, what are you doing here? What makes you think you can just barge into someone else’s home?!”

Ling didn’t remember exactly how he got there, but that sounded like something he’d do.

“Are you going to answer me? Who the hell are you, anyway?” The blonde held up a frying pan, ready to whack him.

“Hey, hey! No need for violence! I’m Ling Yao. I was being chased, and…” shit. “Uh...you wouldn’t happen to have seen my satchel anywhere, have you?”

“I hid it! You’re not getting it back, either. Unless you fulfill your end of the deal.”

Ling raised an eyebrow. “Deal?”

“Yeah. You know the floating lights that appear tomorrow night? Lanterns, right?”

Ling grinned. “Oh, yes, the lantern festival! I saw the town preparing for it. It’s going to be beautiful. It’s a shame I had to miss it.”

“Well lucky you, because you’re taking me.”

“Come again?”

“You’re going to bring me to this lantern festival and bring me home safely once it’s over, in return for your satchel.”

Ling smiled sweetly. “Or you can just be so kind as to give it back to me now.”

“No! Listen, buddy, I looked through that research in your bag. You’re trying to get your hands on the Philosopher’s Stone. And you tried creating one yourself! How stupid are you?”

“You know, you’re a very poor host. And I didn’t create it. I stole it. I’m going to give it to my king.”

The blond lowered his frying pan, looking wary about something. “What exactly does your king want with the Philosopher’s Stone?”

“Same as anyone, really. Immortality,” he shrugged.

The blonde completely dropped his defenses, his frying pan at his side and his stance more relaxed. “Why not use it yourself?”

“Well why would I want to prolong a difficult life when I can have a wealthy and luxurious normal lifespan?”

He grunted in agreement. “Yeah I see your point. So you just want the reward, huh?”

“That’s it.”

His eyes flickered down in thought.

“Well, the deal still stands. You bring me to the lanterns, and I give you back your satchel.”

Ling wasn’t too thrilled about the risk of being caught, but he was used to dodging authority. A fun day in another kingdom did sound appealing. He just hated ditching his plan for such a spur-of-the-moment decision. It appeared he didn’t have a choice, though, and he wasn’t against an opportunity for some fun.

“You’ll keep your word?”

“I promise.”

Ling couldn’t hold back a chuckle. “And I promised two girls I’d split the reward with them, yet here I am without them. Why should I trust you?”

“Well it sounds like I should be asking why I should trust you. Unlike you, I have morals. I don’t break promises, and I don’t like people who break theirs. So, go back on our deal and I’ll kick your ass.”

A laugh escaped unchecked from Ling. “You? I doubt it, Tiny.”

His face reddened. “Yeah, yeah, I’m tiny, I’m naive, I’m stupid, whatever! Anything new you wanna add, you JERK?!”

The sudden burst of anger was a surprise. “No that was it. Only problem is, if you didn’t catch the wanted poster in my bag, I’m a criminal in this kingdom. I’m from Xing, you see. Amestris doesn’t quite trust outsiders. You might get thrown in jail for assisting me.”

“Well, you can wear a disguise or something, can’t you?”

“I suppose.”

The blond grinned. “Solved! Let’s get going!”

“Now wait a minute. You didn’t introduce yourself!”

“I’m Edward,” he gestured to the lizard still perched on the back of the chair, “and that’s Envy.”

“Well, okay then.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> sorry for the wait! i ended up rewriting, and then splitting the chapter into two. enjoy!  
> thanks so much to my new beta, Anna! her fma tumblr is @relatablepicsofedwardelric! she really helped me out! also, i apologize it's within my nature to write either super short chapters or unnecessarily long ones.

Once Ling got to the ground, he looked up at Edward still in the window sill. He was holding the rope tightly to his chest and his frying pan (evidently his weapon of choice for the journey) tucked in his armpit as he tilted his torso forward to get a good peek at the ground. 

“You coming or not?” Ling called up. 

Ed responded by jumping from the window and sliding down the rope, skidding to what must’ve been a painful stop just a foot off the ground. For a moment, he just dangled there, then he tenderly placed one foot in the soft green grass. The other followed, and both feet shuffled through the dirt. He rubbed his hands together, which were red from the rope, but discarded the pain in favor of falling to his knees onto the grass at Ling’s feet, extending his palms to feel every inch of the ground. He even lowered his face to inhale the sweet smell of the grass. 

Ling crossed his arms and observed the behavior, figuring he shouldn’t interrupt the moment, however strange it was. He opened his mouth to say something about the dirt all over Ed’s cheeks when he shifted back to a kneeling position, but froze when he noticed his wide golden eyes transfixed on the cave entrance. Although in Ed’s case, the exit. In an instant, the teen launched himself from the ground into a sprint. Ling watched him disappear into the dark of the cave before realizing he wasn’t stopping, and making the move to catch up with him, grabbing the frying pan Ed had left on the ground.

A little ways down the road, he finally zoomed past Ed standing knee deep in a pond, sliding on the outside of his foot in a last minute halt. 

“I thought I was...supposed to escort you,” he panted. 

Ed held up his hand in Ling’s direction, signaling him to stop or be quiet. A few confusingly still and quiet seconds ticked by with Ed hunched over the water before both of his hands dove for something. He fell into the water, and Ling watched a frog swim away from where Ed now floated serenely. 

Picking up on the blonde’s unpredictability, Ling watched expectantly for the peaceful state Edward was in as he leisurely skimmed through the water to shatter. Sure enough, he stood up suddenly and splashed through the water in a run towards Ling. 

He beamed, wet hair streaming water into his face, “The water really cools you off! Why don’t you go in?”

Ling shook his head, not taking his eyes off of the wild look in Ed’s eyes. He held the frying pan up for Ed to take.

“I don’t entirely trust you with this thing,” Ling teased. Ed took it from him and turned away for a practice swing.

“Just wait and see someone try to overpower me. I’ve got it in the bag with this thing,” he bragged.

“Uh-huh.”

Ed perked his head up at the sound of a mourning dove cooing in the trees. His head moved in the direction of the call. The sound of a woodpecker with its rapid knocking followed, causing Ed to jerk his eyes in a new direction. His inconsistent gaze eventually refocused on the dirt road through the forest. He turned to Ling with that same wild look.

“Wanna see how fast I can run? Race ya!” and the blonde was rocketing through the woods, leaving Ling to groan audibly before jogging after him. 

He jogged down the road for about a quarter mile before slowing down and realizing there was no way Ed sprinted more than that without getting tired, yet he saw no sign of him. Even Ling with his endurance couldn’t sprint that far in such a short distance. He supposed if he ended up getting eaten by a bear that would mean he could return to the tower and just tear it apart looking for the satchel, but before he could continue his consideration of turning around right now, Ed jumped out from behind the brush with an abrupt roar. 

“Did I scare you?”

No, he didn’t, but Ling held back from rolling his eyes and nodded with exaggeration. “Oh yes. I’m shaking.” There was triumph in Ed’s face.

“Did you see how fast I ran?” 

“Yes, you ran very fast,” Ling was starting to feel like a babysitter, and that’s when it hit him. When kids got riled up, all you had to do was let them tire themselves out, then you were home free for the rest of the night to do as you please. 

Ed lifted his chin up. “Impressive, right?”

“Very impressive,” Ling said with a smile that creeped across his face. He quickly wiped it back off. 

Ed beamed, and shared a glance with Envy, who was sitting on his shoulder. He turned to continue on the trail, whispering to his lizard friend as he walked a few paces ahead of Ling, who willingly hung back a bit further to keep an eye on Ed’s surroundings. Looking at Ed, he knew he’d be an easy target for any bandit. He was so petite, and walked with a distracted look on his face. 

It occurred to Ling that Edward knew he was small and inexperienced and was too scared to venture out into the world alone. Yet he seemed to hide that fear fairly well. It made Ling wonder what else he could be hiding, and if it were something that could be exploited so that he can skip all this fun and just get to the best part. 

Ling’s thoughts were interrupted when Edward decided to go off trail again. 

“Edward, don’t go too far from the path!” Not that Ling was a strict path-follower, but he definitely did not want to be responsible for this naive kid getting lost or hurt. Also, he had a deadline and a plan to keep. 

“I’m just going over to this hill!” Ed called, before sitting on the ground and rolling out of sight. Ling didn’t hold in a smile this time. As annoying as he was, it was also pretty funny watching him. He walked over to the hill crest and peered down at the blonde rubbing grass off of his clothes. 

“You should try that!” Ed yelled up.

“No thank you.”

“Aw, come on!”

“Let’s keep going.”

Ed didn’t move.

“You’re not tired already, are you?” Ling smirked.

Ed sprinted up the hill and whizzed past him and down the trail. 

Ling sprinted after Ed this time, if only to motivate him to keep running. He was much faster than Ed, and was tempted to showcase it, just to throw it in his face. Instead, he hung back next to him. Ed seemed thrilled by this, and he pumped his arms to go faster. Soon he got sloppy, though, and probably to avoid admitting he was low on endurance, he got ‘distracted’ by a tree halfway in the road.

“I bet I can climb this,” he said with labored breathing.

“I bet you can’t,” Ling sighed, eyeing Edward. 

Edward huffed a breath and shot him a glare. “I will! I’ll show you!”

“Go right ahead.”

Ed climbed the tree, alright, though he didn’t get to the top. He got about halfway before getting stuck. Ling smiled.

“Why’d you stop?”

“Uh...no reason.” Ed grabbed onto different branches, tested out different footholds, and looked around. He whispered to Envy, probably about what his next move should be. Finally, he decided on a risky one, and Ling prepared for the inevitable fall, extending his arms to catch him after he tumbled through the leaves. 

Ed stayed quiet in Ling’s arms for a second, wide eyes darting from the tree to Ling’s smug face, cheeks reddening and gaze finally settling downwards. 

“Put me down.”

Ling placed him on the ground, and he immediately rolled back into a sitting position between thick tree roots. 

“That was quite a fall,” Ling commented.

Ed played with the grass. “Yeah, whatever.”

Ling swooped right into this open window, kneeling down next to the sulking teen. “Hey, don’t beat yourself up about it. Things like this happen all the time.”

“Really?”

“Of course. I knew you wouldn’t be able to climb the tree, but it’s a good thing you still tried, even though you were pretty much destined to fail. That’s life, right?” Ling soothed.

Ed contemplated. Ling let it soak in, before standing back up.

“You know, Edward, I think it’s time we go back to the tower.”

“What?”

“You’ve had a full day in just the past hour. I think you’ve reached your limit.”

Envy appeared on Ling’s shoulder, eyes squinting. Ling brushed him off.

“I...guess you’re right. I don’t know why I thought I could do all this,” Ed mumbled.

“We all make mistakes, and we all overestimate what we can handle. Don’t dwell on it,” Ling picked up the frying pan at the base of the tree and Envy, and shoved the two items into Ed’s hands before pulling him to his feet and dragging him back down the path. “Here’s your pan, here’s your frog. I get back my satchel, and you get back to the safety of your tower. Then we can part ways living the lives we were meant for.”

Ed let himself be dragged a little ways, before surprising Ling with a sharp tug. “No! I’m seeing those lanterns. I’m not letting anything stop me.”  
A loud grumble erupted from Ling’s stomach, stopping a groan from escaping. Ling’s voice lowered into a childish whine. “Not even for lunch?”

Ed unconsciously placed a hand to his own stomach. “Lunch sounds good. Where would we get it?”

Ling recalled passing a sign for a restaurant earlier. “I think I know a place.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> dont mind ed he's having a bit of a nervous breakdown what's new


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> idk if yall have seen this monstrosity i made: https://calangkoh.tumblr.com/post/162438188352/instead-of-writing-more-of-my-tangled-au-last
> 
> also, yes, there is a really bad reference in here somewhere so if you can pick it out i wont feel like such a dork

Black Hayate’s ears twitched at the sound of leaves rustling. The smell was unfamiliar, but it was getting closer. Ling Yao’s scent was still on the trail, however, meaning this approaching character could possibly have input on the criminal’s whereabouts. His tail wagged, and he put on his best puppy-dog face.

From the bushes came a well-dressed woman, an elegant cloak shading her perfect features and slightly greying dark hair. Dante jumped a little at the sight of the dog trotting up to her merrily.

Hayate stood on his hind legs in a begging position. He just needed to lure this woman to his troops so his human could interrogate her. With his adorable looks, it should be no problem. Yet the women just scoffed and gave him a light kick with her boot.

Hayate flinched back. Her eyes widened at the sight of his harness.

“A military dog? Where are the rest of you?” She gasped. “Edward!” 

The dog tilted his head in confusion as the woman turned and ran in a panic. 

\--

By the time she made it back to the tower, it stood in the shadows of mid-afternoon.

“Edward! Let me up!” She sung in a forced sweetness. There was no response. “Edward!” She barked.

She dropped her basket and ran around the base of the tower. In the back, she clawed at the vines to reveal a doorway filled in with rocks. She pushed them inwards, then dug the rest out onto the ground. The stone stairs wrapping within the walls awaited her, and at the top, a trap door into Edward’s living area. Not wasting any time, Dante forced through the door into the room that showed no sign of life currently residing in it.

Panic rushed through her as she checked every inch of the tower, ripping down curtains, slamming doors, and calling out Edward’s name as if he were just playing a cruel prank and would eventually give up the act and pop out of his hiding place. 

Dante tried to get a hold of her breathing, pacing the floor until she clumsily knocked over a pot. She scoffed at her own weakness, losing her composure and having trouble regaining it. She breathed in deliberately and picked up the pot, freezing to notice a satchel hidden within it.

She took it out, emptying its contents. Some small snack foods, some clothes, a few coins, a wanted poster of a young Xingese man, and a small red stone…

Wait.

Dante sucked in another breath. A philosopher’s stone. Well, not a real one. A cheap replica, probably made by the king, she assumed. He was the only one who had any idea of making one, having used the research that he took from her when he had taken the Philosopher’s Stone to heal his wife. 

She fumed. So she couldn’t carry out her research due to the toxicity of the red water, but the king can block off the main supply and then pick up where she left off with the remains. It was a good think Dante was already plainly aware of how unfair life was. 

Not only that, it also dawned on her that her anger with the king hardly mattered when the actual Philosopher’s Stone was gone. Someone must’ve found out. And this wanted criminal took it from her own home. 

She needed the stone. Even if it was running out of power after all these centuries, she needed every drop of its power to hold her over until she could fulfill her plans of creating a new one.

She put the poster of her thief in her basket, and on top of it she placed a dagger from a nearby drawer. 

\---

“Nothing like a convenient restaurant in the middle of the forest.”

Ed looked at the sign. “The Devil’s Nest?” He looked to his shoulder at Envy. “Cool name, right buddy?”

“It’s a bit tacky, and not very fitting for such a quaint little place,” Ling stated.

“I was talking to Envy.”

“Oh, yes. The frog.”

“Hey,” the two began walking down the pathway toward the lopsided wooden door, “he’s not a frog.”

“Then what is he?”

Ed opened his mouth to respond as the door swung open, and Ed couldn’t stifle a gasp at the people that awaited inside. 

He had no idea people could be so intimidating. Sure, his mother had filled his head with horror stories of ruffians and thugs who would rob and murder you in gruesome ways, but they never felt real. Looking at all the tall, heavily muscled and tattooed men (and a few women), Ed suddenly felt very small. And that was saying something, since he had spent his whole life feeling tiny.

The scariest thing was how half these people had metal limbs. Some were relatively normal-looking, while others were huge and weapon-like. Ed wasn’t sure if he was more concerned about what had happened to all these people, or about the fact that those metal arms and legs could crush him like a bug. 

Meanwhile, Ling didn’t look fazed by the group. He didn’t even notice Ed’s uneasiness. This was normal for him. This was normal. Meaning Ed really was just a small and fragile thing in a big, scary world.

Ed grabbed Ling’s arm and yanked it, bringing his ear close. “Ling what the hell? This place is horrible. Do you smell that?”

Ling shook off Ed’s grip and straightened. “That’s the smell of adventure you’re so desperately craving, my dear Edward.”

“That’s the smell of a bunch of murderous thugs who are going to kill us!”

Ling shook his head. “It’s not nice to judge people based on appearances, or...smells. I’m hungry, and I’m not leaving until I get some food in this belly. Here, listen!” Ling grabbed Ed’s hand to feel the rumbling in his stomach. Ed yanked it away before he could.

“Get your hands off me. Look. There’s a table over there.”

Ling smiled and sauntered over to a crooked stool. Ed followed abnormally close behind him, sharing glances with quite a few customers in the bar, all who looked at him with distaste. Or was it mockery? Ed’s expression hardened. The two sat down.

A man with a metal arm appeared next to their table, arms crossed. “What do you two runts want?”

“Runts?!” Ed snapped.

“We’ll have one of everything,” Ed shot Ling a wide-eyed look. Ling squinted at the name tag on the man. “Dorchette.” 

“Uh-huh. You have money on you?”

“Of course!”

Dorchette nodded and moved to the kitchen. Ed gaped.

“You have money?”

“No.”

“What?!”

“We eat as much as we can to hold us over, then make a break for it. You’re dealing with an expert dine-and-dasher, Edward. They won’t even expect us to try and run.”

“Ignoring the fact that there’s no way we’ll make it through all these thugs, that’s wrong.”

“Is it wrong to need food to survive?”

“It’s wrong to steal, you idiot!”

Ling shrugged. “Isn’t it also wrong to go against your mother?”

Envy scowled at him from Ed’s shoulder, who folded his lips and squinted.

“You’re a jerk,” he grumbled, crossing his arms and slouching.

“I’m just saying...we all do things we need to survive. Morals don’t get you far when you’re trying to live.”

A few men trudged over; one of them slammed his fists on the table. He was a very tall man with some very strange fashion choices, a fur vest and sunglasses. The enormous man next to him grunted and placed Ling’s wanted poster on the table in front of the two boys.

“Oh look at that!” Ling said.

“Looks like we’ve got a wanted criminal in our possession. One with a nice reward on his head. Kimblee!” The man yelled to the bartender. “Get the guards! We’re about the come into a large sum of money!”

The man at the bar, Kimblee, grinned, “Yes, Greed!” and ran out the door. 

“So you’re the owner of this establishment?” Ling smirked.

“That’s right.”

“Well I have a few complaints. The interior design is awful, the wood is all splintery, and the service is terrible. Is this how you greet all your guests?”

Ed grumbled. “And it smells like shit.”

“And it smells like shit. Thank you, Ed.” 

Greed’s mouth twitched. He reached and grabbed Ling by the collar, producing a knife from his back pocket and pointing it at his throat.

“That reward money sounds better and better. Poster says ‘dead or alive,’ right?” he snarled, pressing the tip into his skin.

Ed stood up. “‘Dead or alive,’ are you serious? Ling, what the hell did you do? I know you’re good at pissing people off but that’s ridiculous!”

“Well, Amestris isn’t exactly on good terms with Xing. Any illegal immigrant is potentially a spy,” Ling croaked.

“Well, screw that! Put him down!”

Greed laughed. “Or what, shorty?”

“SHORTY?!” 

Ed was really starting to resent being called small. Suddenly, he didn’t feel so small anymore. He felt angry. And apparently it showed, because both Ling and Greed stared at him with disbelief, seconds before Ed pounced on the latter and pushed him to the ground. Ling recovered and drew his sword. 

“You little brat! Martel! Dorchette!” 

A slender women and the waiter from before appeared. Martel wrapped her arms tightly around Ed’s neck, and Dorchette and the enormous man from before seized Ling. Ed struggled against her grip, clearly being more of a struggle than she expected, but another man, a short one with a big nose and a metal leg, assisted her in keeping him still. Greed drew back his fist, aiming it at Ling’s face. Ling opened his mouth to say something, anything to stall or talk his way out of this, but Ed beat him to it.

“Wait! Just a second! Look, I know you want the reward money, but I need this guy to take me to see the lanterns! I’ve been dreaming about them my whole life!”

Greed scoffed. “Like I care.”

Something inside Ed’s chest sunk to his stomach. It was true. Why should he care about his dumb dreams? People are greedy. And that fact was coming from the personification of the result of human greed: lives lost, things sacrificed, all for one person’s dream of immortality. He glanced at Ling, whose eyes darted around the room looking for an escape route. Ling had a dream. And Ed had just decided that his own dream was more important and dragged him into it. All these people had dreams. Who didn’t? 

“I know you don’t care! But I care! And I know I’m the only one who does! But why does it have to be like that? Everyone has something they dream about, don’t they?”

Grips loosened, and eyes turned downward. Ling’s jaw dropped momentarily, before snapping it shut and probably going back to planning an escape route.

“I’ve been stuck in a tower my whole damn life. I…” Ed looked down. “I have no idea where I am or what I’m doing, and I don’t know if I can handle it all on my own, okay? I need him to help me out. Everyone has a right to pursue their dreams!”

Greed balled his fists and sneered. He nodded to his cronies, who hung Ling up on a coat hook by the strap holding his sword, letting him dangle there helplessly. He stomped towards Ed, who, still shocked by his own bravado, stood his ground and even fought back with a sneer of his own. Greed jabbed a pointed finger into Ed’s chest.

“I had a dream once, kid.”

Ed dropped his sneer. “Really?”

“Of course! You really think this is the ideal place to be running a restaurant from? It’s disgusting here. Your friend is right. But this is the only place us outcasts can go to catch a break. To have our own hotspot in town, run by yours truly, would be pretty special. Of course, only all these lovely folks here would be allowed in. The kingdom would wish they hadn’t thrown us out on the streets.”

Martel chimed in. “If that ever happens, I could finally feel like I have a normal life after the royal guard discharged me.”

“They treat us just like their dogs: as soon as we’re no longer useful, we get thrown out onto the streets,” Dorchette grumbled. “My dream is to give all those retired dogs a good home.”

“Bido and Dolcetto here have dreams, too, you know. We all do,” Greed sighed.

“I just want somebody to love, and love me in return. But no one can love a face as hideous as mine,” Bido lamented. 

Dolcetto followed, “I bake. I love to bake. Someday I hope to make the perfect creme brulee.” 

“Creme brulee?” Ed questioned.

Dolcetto nodded. “It’s a creamy custard with a crusty surface. It’s very satisfying. I would serve it at Greed’s place if I ever got the chance.”

Ed soaked all that in. “So you’re saying...you all worked for the royal guard, and when you got injured or something they just outcasted you? You got nothing in return?”

“Well, some of us did get free automail to replace our missing limbs,” Dorchette rubbed his arm, “but that didn’t help the whole ‘outcast’ ordeal. These things aren’t exactly pleasing to look at.”

“Hey, what about the Xingese kid? What’s he doing here in Amestris? He’s gotta have a dream, too, huh?” another patron, a blond man with glasses and a mustache inquired. 

Ling shook the awestruck expression off of his face. “Oh, no no no. I won’t bore you with the details of my life.”

“Don’t be a wuss, kid. We’re all sharing here,” Greed growled, pointing his knife once again at his throat as he addressed the crowd. “We’re all friends, aren’t we?” The patrons all murmured in enthusiastic agreement. Some raised a glass. 

“Fine. I have a dream. I just want a life of luxury. One fit for an emperor. Gourmet meals whenever I want them. Alone and surrounded by enormous piles of money!” 

The patrons lowered their mugs and groaned. 

“Not the reaction I was going for,” Ling muttered. 

Greed turned and jabbed his finger into Ed’s chest again. “You say everyone has a right to pursue their dreams, but that’s bullshit. Everyone has dreams. And we all worked hard for them, but look where it got us.”

“Well that’s not fair!” Ed yelled.

“Life ain’t fair, kid.”

“Maybe life isn’t fair! But we don’t have to be! Tell you what. I’m gonna sacrifice something for you guys, if you’d be willing to sacrifice something for us.” He relaxed his arms and placed his hands together in silent clap, before reaching into his pocket for the rock he had picked up earlier. It was graphite, and he had meant to make a pencil with it, but that wasn’t as important as this. Once the reaction was finished, he produced the lump of gold in his hand to the gaping patrons. 

“Is that…”

“It’s solid gold,” Ed grinned.

“Holy hell, kid!” Greed plucked the lump from his hands. 

Murmurs sounded through the crowd.

“And there’s more where that came from! I’ll come back! I’ll find a way to help your dreams come true.”

Greed blinked.

“Why...why would you do that?” Martel piped in.

Ed straightened. “Because I don’t buy that life isn’t fair. There’s always an equal and opposite reaction in science. If there weren’t, then everything would get lost. You guys all worked hard and suffered because of it, meaning you’re all overdue for something in return.”

Smiles spread across faces which turned into laughing and cheering. Ed got pats on the back. Ling got let down and pushed towards him, mugs of beer pushed into both of their hands. Ed didn’t hesitate to try a sip--or...gulp, and Ling smiled when Ed gagged at the bitter taste, and gave Ling a confused look, not understanding the popularity of the drink. Ling shrugged lightly and downed a gulp himself. 

The door slammed open, snapping everyone out of their celebration. Kimblee entered smugly. “I found the guards.”

Greed flinched. “Well get rid of them!”

Martel and Dorchette grabbed Ed and Ling and pulled them behind the bar. Before Kimblee could question it, Roy Mustang shoved him aside and entered with his men.

“Where’s Ling Yao?! Find him! Turn the place upside down if you have to!” He demanded, slamming his fist on the bar for emphasis.

Ling peaked over the bar once the heavy footsteps of military boots were far enough to get a look at the door. Mei and Lan Fan, chained together and between two guards, filed in. Ling gasped and ducked him head back below the bar.

A cold automail hand touched his shoulder, causing him to flinch. He looked up at Dorchette, who nodded his head in reassurance. He reached over the bar and pulled a lever when the guards’ backs were turned. From behind the bar, a trap door into a tunnel opened. Ling and Ed hastily crawled over to it.

“Go live your dream.” he whispered.

“I will,” Ling smiled.

“Your dream stinks. I was talking to him. Don’t forget about us, kid.”

“I won’t. Thank you,” said Ed.

They slid down the ramp into the darkness.

\---

Dante watched the scene unfold from the window. The leader of the guards, Mustang, paced the floor. His eyebrow twitched. From behind her, she saw the same dog from earlier come sprinting down the path to the open door. He stood triumphantly in the doorframe, which from Dante’s position looked like she was watching a play from behind the curtains on stage. 

“Black Hayate!”

The dog put his nose to the ground. All the guards parted for him, not daring to disturb him. A tall dirty-blond man with a cigarette in his hand opened his mouth to speak, but Mustang slapped his hand to cover his mouth. 

Dante’s heart sunk when the dog got behind the counter, where she saw Ed go to hide. He barked, drawing confused faces toward the empty space behind the bar. The dog’s ear twitched before he hopped onto the bar stool and onto the top of the counter. He pawed at the beer dispensers, until one of them worked as a lever to open a trapdoor. 

Mustang smirked. “Let’s go, men! Fuery! Stay with the girls!” 

The guards filed into the tunnel, while a small man with glasses stood awkwardly next to two Xingese girls in chains. He clearly wasn’t expecting the smaller one to jump and give a roundhouse kick to his head and knock him unconscious. She grabbed the spear and broke the chains around the taller girl, before the latter returned the favor. They nodded at each other before following through the tunnel. 

Dante pursed her lips, deep in thought.

The bartender who got the guards walked out, freezing at the sight of her. His eyes looked her up and down, before he cleared his throat and leaned on the doorframe.

“Hey there. What’s a fine piece of ass like you doing out here?” 

Dante studied him for a moment, considering him, before deciding this was not the time. She drew her knife lightning quick and pointed it at his throat.

“Where does that tunnel lead out?”

The bartender smiled. “Dang, girl.”


	5. Chapter 5

Ed was beaming brighter than the torch Ling carried as they walked through the tunnel. Ling cleared his throat.

“Well....that was...impressive.”

“I KNOW!” Ed burst. His face instantly reddened. “I mean, uh, I know.” He shrugged nonchalantly. 

Ling smiled and shook his head. “I didn’t know you were rich. I’m raising the payment. I get my satchel, and a payment in gold. If we’re talking fairness here, anyway. Unless you were lying.”

“Well, no I wasn’t lying. For the most part.”

“So you’re really going to pay all of them?”

“Of course! They helped us, so we help them. I promised! And I don’t break promises.” He held his chin high. Ling cast a sideways glance to Envy, who nodded in agreement. 

Ling shrugged and turned his attention forwards. 

“I heard your speech. It’s admirable, really, to believe in all the things you said. I just wish life was really like that. You get what you give and all that. But it’s naive. Everyone is always out for themselves.”

“Maybe it’s just you,” Ed blurted.

Ling kept walking. Ed shifted uncomfortably. He brushed off his discomfort and sped up to walk beside Ling. He swung his hands in sync, clapping against the handle of the frying pan every few seconds. Ling spoke. 

“Where I grew up, it was always take what you want or you die. No fairness involved. Anyway, I’m little too scared to ask about the lizard, but may I ask why you’ve never left your tower? I get the overprotective mother, but what stopped you from just running away? The whole ordeal seems extreme.”

“Well I can’t just leave my mom!”

“Why not?”

“Because she’s my mom! She takes care of me.”

“By keeping you locked up?”

“Yes!” 

Aware of the ridiculousness of the statement, Ed turned his gaze downwards. 

“Well that seems perfectly reasonable!” Ling feigned enthusiasm. 

“It is if you know the full story,” Ed mumbled.

“Which is?”

A rumbling took Ling’s attention away from Edward. The walls of the cave began to shake. The rumbling became the sound of a stampede of boots and barks of dogs. 

Ling pushed Ed in front of him and forced him into a run. 

“Go!” He demanded.

The two sprinted until the light of late afternoon became visible, and then kept running until they emerged into it, only skidding to a halt as they came to a cliff. They looked around to get their bearings as they tried to catch their breath. 

They had exited the tunnel into a canyon, one that seemed to once be a deep lake if the wooden dam hovering above them was any indicator. They looked at the base of the cliff, spotting a few entrances to other tunnels. The closest one was blocked off, but only for a moment before two familiar faces crashed through. 

Mei and Lan Fan spotted Ling instantly, the look of a crazed animal on the younger’s face. She pointed and yelled up in a roar.

“LING I’M GOING TO KILL YOU!”

“Who’s that?” Ed whispered.

Ling smiled sheepishly. “That’s Mei and Lan Fan! Hello girls!” He sung down to them. “Oh they are so angry with me,” Ling laughed through clenched teeth. 

“YAO!” Mustang’s low voice resounded from behind them. 

“Who’s that?” Ed whispered, again. 

“That’s the captain of the guard. He does not like me very much.”

With an impossibly loud bark for such a small dog, Black Hayate forced his way to the front of the crowd.

“Who’s that?”

Ling drew his sword, “Let’s just assume that everyone here doesn’t like me. Run!”

“No!” Ed copied Ling’s fighting stance, holding his frying pan ready to strike. Envy retreated to Ed’s pocket.

Mustang approached with his sword, and without any warning, Ed ran forward, using his short stature to his advantage to get past the man’s defenses. He slammed the frying pan with full force into his ribs, and then used the momentum to swing it upwards into his jaw. The man was instantly disarmed and on the ground, leaving Ling to gape.

Ling shook himself out of his awe and readied himself for the next attacker. The space between the cave and the cliff didn’t give much room for the oncoming army of men. One charged at Ling, and he readied his sword. As he was locked in a duel of swords with the guard, another one took on Ed, who again used his size to his advantage to get to his space and attack from within his bubble. 

Despite his boldness, Ed’s inexperience won out, and a guard knocked him to the ground. He rose his sword, and Ling swooped in and intercepted it. Another guard approached Ling from behind, and Ed put out his foot to trip him before hastily getting to his feet. He maneuvered behind the guard locked in a contest of strength with Ling and slammed the frying pan into the back of his head. Ed gave Ling a quick grin, which Ling found himself returning. 

Ed noticed the bleeding cuts and bruises littered across Ling’s body, especially the gushing bite marks from his leg, and gave him a momentary look of concern. One reason Ed was doing do well was the power of the stone healing any wounds he acquired. Ling seemed to be operating on pure adrenaline at the moment.

Before Ed could say anything, Black Hayate lunged forward at Ling and sunk his teeth into his calf. Ling cried out and attempted to shake him off. Ed raised his frying pan at the tiny beast, but he saw it coming and released his jaw and backed up, teeth bared and eyes searching for another opening. 

Seeing Mei and Lan Fan almost finished climbing the cliff to reach them, Ed grabbed Ling by the hand and dragged him toward a long wooden board that was part of the dam’s structure. He clapped his hands and pushed against it, and it easily came loose from the enormous wooden wall behind them, which spewed water from the weakened area. The wooden plank tumbled down, catching on a ledge across the canyon, forming a walkway. The two ran across as the guards began to get back on their feet. Black Hayate hesitated, but started to make his way across the plank.

Ling looked to his right and saw the irrigation system running down from the dam. The stilts it rested on didn’t look very stable.

“We have to jump!” 

Ed followed Ling’s gaze and nodded. They both got a running start, Ling working through his limp, and jumped to the flimsy pipes and slid down into the ravine. The stilts swayed and lost their balance, and the irrigation system, like a set of dominoes, tumbled beneath them as they were close enough to the ground to jump off and land safely. 

The stress and damage on the dam increased, and more water spewed. Wooden planks popped from their position. The cracking of wood echoed through the canyons. In moments, the dam crumbled, and thousands of gallons of water flooded the gorge in a giant wave. 

Ed and Ling kept running toward one of the tunnel entrances, aware of the water about to wash them away. Behind them, the water split around a huge rock spire. It crackled and broke from its base and fell towards the two teenagers. 

They yelped as they entered the cave and it crashed behind them, an inch away from crushing them. In front of them was a dead end, meaning the spire that fell and blocked the entrance was both a blessing and a curse. It kept the water from getting to them, but now they were trapped. Some of the water still poured in through spaces left by the rock, quickly raising the water level within the cave.

They shared a quick glance before splitting up to find a way out. Ed hammered away at different sections of the wall with his frying pan, but nothing budged. Ling kept diving into the water to look below. He eventually slowed and stopped completely.

“Hey, what gives?”

Ling didn’t respond. It was too dark to see his face, but he had gone completely pale. The stores of adrenaline he had been running on had died out, and dizziness from blood loss was taking over.

“Ling! Answer me!”

Ed felt Ling slump against him, and almost slid into the water, now up to their waists in such a short amount of time. He grabbed him and kept him upright. Envy had scurried from Ed’s pocket, and now moved to Ling’s shoulder, placing a foot on his neck. His pulse was through the roof. 

“No.” Ed shook him. “Ling wake up! Don’t die on me!” 

The water was up to their shoulders. Ed cursed and let go of Ling, and clapped his hands together. He dove into the water with a deep breath and felt the walls around them. He eventually sensed a weak area, an old entrance blocked off with rocks. He concentrated and willed the rocks away.

He was being sucked through the hole he created, along with all the water, and for a moment he was falling through the air, before hitting more water below. 

Not knowing how to swim, he followed his instincts and kicked his arms and legs toward the surface of the river. He gasped and looked around, spotting Ling by his bright yellow jacket. He dove in the water again, Envy holding onto his braid, and grabbed Ling by the waist. 

The shore was close and the river was relatively calm, but Ed still struggled to keep both of their heads above water. As soon as he could stand, he dragged Ling up and kneeled next to him.

“Goddammit this is my fault. Shit. Shit. Shit.” Ed panted as he spread Ling out on his back and clapped his hands and put them to his chest. Both him and Envy watched with wide eyes.

A few seconds of despair passed with a torturously slow pace, before the power of the stone kicked in. 

The wounds fizzled with red sparks and closed. Ed wiped away the remaining blood. 

Ling’s eyes snapped open and he quickly sat up.

“What happened?”

“You gave me a freaking heart attack! You almost died!” 

Ling looked at Ed with furrowed brows, and then glanced at Envy, who smiled mischievously at him.

“How did we...how did I,” Ling rubbed the spot on his leg where Black Hayate’s teeth had sunk in and almost shuddered at the memory. “What did you do?”

Ed sighed. “Look, I’ll explain everything. But it’s getting dark. Let’s set up camp first.”


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> FINALLY! I had to hanker down with studying the last month of the semester, and then I decided to just wait 'til Edling Day to post this next chapter! Also, I've highkey been obsessing over the Tangled animated series (it's SO good) which has been distracting me from these two dorks in the AU. I wrote a good portion of this last minute, so I didn't get a proofread in time, so let me know of any errors! And of course, thanks so much to my beta, Anna, for helping me keep this story and the characters cohesive. Enjoy!

Hands clasped, Mei and Lan Fan were carried with the rapid current through one of the many tunnels.

“Mei!” Lan Fan sputtered. 

Mei kicked her legs to get above water enough to see where Lan Fan was pointing. A light on the ceiling, a trap door at an angle where some water was escaping, up ahead.

The girls both grunted and fought the current with all their might to get to the side of the opening. 

Lan Fan reached until her arm hurt, and grabbed the edge, her grip almost slipping. Mei kept being carried, and she tightened her grip on the younger’s hand. The arm holding onto Mei was almost pulled out of its socket with the jerk of Mei’s weight going with the current. Lan Fan cried out, and roared with effort as she pulled Mei to the trap door. 

The two gasped as the smaller current going out the door became stronger when they forced it open. They and a steady but powerful stream of water spilled out of the door onto the forest floor.

After coughing up enough water, they quickly embraced each other.

“This weird kingdom and its tunnels! Ling could’ve gone anywhere!” Mei whined and examined her surroundings.

“There’s a chance he might not have survived,” Lan Fan whispered.

Mei froze. “Don’t say that. He wouldn’t...he can’t just...die,” she turned around rapidly with fire in her eyes, “not unless I kill him first!” 

“What did he think he was doing anyway? He should be halfway to Xing by now with the stone!”

“He probably doesn’t think one stone is enough! He’s going back to figure out how those scientists did it! Let’s go!”

“Don’t be so hasty, girls,” a voice came from the bushes.

The two girls drew their knives. From the leaves emerged a woman dressed in an elegant silky dress and a flowing cape. She seemed youthful by her figure and face, but the silver streaks in her hair and the way she carried herself in a dress that seemed to be from an entirely different era revealed her to be much older than she fortunately appeared. She smiled warmly at the girls, and they lowered their weapons, but kept their guards up.

“Who are you?” Mei demanded.

“It doesn’t matter,” the woman shrugged, “What does matter is that that the king doesn’t have what it takes to create a real philosopher’s stone. What you found was a cheap replica. But if you still desire it, here. I have no need for something so worthless,” the woman produced a satchel from behind her back and swung it to the girls.

“You really mean that our search was for nothing?” Mei gingerly picked up the satchel from the ground and took out the stone from within, looking at it sadly. “Does Ling know? Is that why he’s still hanging around here? Wait,” her grip around the satchel tightened, “how’d you get this?”

“It washed up on shore. I assume ‘Ling’ has been carried away elsewhere. These tunnels go all throughout the kingdom. But anyway, your search wasn’t for nothing, because I know where the real Philosopher’s Stone of legend is. And to get it comes with revenge on Ling Yao.” 

“Why should we trust you?” Lan Fan spoke. 

“Because I understand you. Men are deceitful snakes. They use you and once they have what they want, they throw you aside. Us girls need to stick together, right? Get back at the ones who hurt us.” She smirked. 

Mei’s eyes brimmed with tears. She nodded, and looked to Lan Fan for agreement. Lan Fan looked down at her knife and tightened her grip on it, a sudden feeling of anger flowing through her. Ling would pay for getting the upper hand over them. 

\---

“Now blow on the flame. Gently. Like this.” Ling demonstrated, crouching down at eye level with the small spark and blowing into it, making it grow. Ed copied the step until the fire engulfed the wood. He recoiled at the intense heat, then cheered.

“Congratulations. You just built a fire,” Ling said.

“Yes!” Ed stuck his hands in the air in triumph, lowering them slowly when he noticed Ling smiling at him. “What?”

Ling blinked rapidly and straightened. “Nothing. You were impressive in battle earlier. And in getting us out of that cave, however you did it.”

Ed smirked. “Guess I just keep impressing you, huh.”

Ling nodded. “I keep underestimating you. You’re truly an amazing person.”

Ed beamed. 

“Now I believe you owe me an explanation.”

Ed’s eyes widened, then cast downward. He fidgeted with his hands. Ling watched him wrestle with his thoughts. He knew this was the stupidest thing he could do. Ling was after the stone, so telling him that he is the stone? But he felt so compelled, like the words were being tugged out of him. 

Ling’s patience was waning, “Oh come on! You can’t not tell me what’s going on? What happened back there? After everything you owe me an explanation!”

“Alright!” Ed snapped. He stuck his lower lip out in a pout and muttered, “Just don’t freak out. I have to show you first, or you won’t believe me.”

Then Ed reached down and plucked a rock from the ground, and rubbed his finger on the sharp edge. Then in one quick motion, before Ling could process, he sliced his palm with it. 

Ling stood and lunged at Ed, yanking the rock from his hands.

“Ed, what are thinking?!”

Ed shushed him and held his palm up in his face. Ling watched red sparks dance across his skin, and the blood stream slowing until it stopped. Ling wiped away the blood to find no wound in Edward’s palm. 

Ling stared wide eyed, and opened his mouth to scream, before Ed clasped his hand over his mouth.

“I told you not to freak out!” Ed said accusingly, as if this wasn’t something worth freaking out about. 

Ling fell to his seat.

“W-what…”

Ed stayed standing, holding one hand in the other. 

“I have...abilities. Remember that gold I gave to Greed? So…all I have to do is clap, and I can rearrange the world around me,” Ed clapped for emphasis, a spark flying from the contact. He continued to demonstrate by picking up another rock from the ground, which sparked and molded like clay in his hands into a spearhead. He tossed it to Ling, who caught it and stared at it through the rest of Ed’s explanation. “Like with the graphite. All I did was rearrange the particles to change it into a different element. And I used it to clear the rocks away in the cave. With healing, I speed up the cells in your body so they can regenerate faster. It’s more like a science, but with magic involved. You have to know chemical composition and biology and shit to use it properly. But a lot of the knowledge came naturally to me for some reason.”

Ling looked up from the little creation with wide eyes. “But how?” 

“I wasn’t going to tell you. I—“ Ed took a big shaky breath, “I’m the Philosopher’s Stone.”

Ling just kept gaping, waiting for more of an explanation. The sound of crickets and cicadas in the forest decorated the long stretch of awkward time before Ed burst.

“Say something!”

“How?” Ling blurted.

“What do you mean ‘how’? I just told you!” 

“How are you the Philosopher’s Stone, Edward?” He enunciated.

“My mom almost died when she was pregnant, so she found the stone and used it to save me. So, I was born with the power of the stone infused in me.”

“Wow.”

Ed sighed and sat down. He took another long shaky breath.

“The problem is...the power in the stone is limited. Doing small things like changing the physical form of things doesn’t do much, but things that go against the law of equivalency uses up a ton of energy. After all this time, it’s almost drained. I don’t know what will happen to me when it’s all used up.”

Ed realized he sounded a lot more afraid than he wanted Ling to know and turned to Envy on his shoulder, who placed a paw on his cheek in comfort. He felt Ling’s gaze analyzing him, staring right through him.

Ed continued, “And if someone found out...they won’t care what happens to me. I’d be in danger, and so will everyone who wants me. Wars are fought over power like this.” 

“So that’s why you never left the tower.” 

Ed didn’t respond, which said plenty.

“And you still wanna go back? To hide the rest of your life?” 

“No!” Ed turned. His determined expression quickly fell to guilt. “Yes. It’s...complicated.” His head fell into his hands. 

Ed brushed his bangs back and sighed again. “So...what’s the deal with those two girls? Why are they pissed at you?”

“Oh. That’s Mei and Lan Fan. They accompanied me from Xing to look for the stone. I...kinda stranded them and they ended up getting caught by guards. They escaped like I expected, though, so no harm done.” 

“No harm done? You betrayed them!”

“Well, I mean that’s kind of our relationship. We’re all orphans, you see. And we’ve been fighting and competing for survival for as long as I can remember. Sometimes one of us will get really hurt, or sometimes we’ll screw each other over, but it’s all in good fun,” Ling shrugged.

“That does not sound like fun.”

Ling shrugged again. “I knew they’d be fine.”

“You still broke a promise, didn’t you? You were going to work together and split the reward for the stone. And you just abandoned them!”

“Well it hardly matters now, since the stone clearly isn’t an option anymore.”

“Option for what?”

“For getting off the streets.”

Ed nodded, “Right.”

The fire crackled. 

Ling lifted his head, “And for someone so keen on promises and fairness, you pretty much lied to me about the stone.”

Ed shook his head defensively. “I promised you the satchel.”

“That’s a lie of omission. You still manipulated the situation to get what you want.”

Ed looked down, rethinking his tactics. When he realized he had broken his own code, he slapped his hand to his forehead.

“Crap. You’re right. Look, I can still pay you back. Just like I promised the people at the Devil’s Nest. I’ll give you enough money to get off the streets.”

Ling raised an eyebrow. “It’s not going to put your life in danger?”

Ed shook his head. As long as he had the right materials, no extra energy to go against the laws of equivalency was required.

Ling nodded. “Okay. Then our deal is still in place. Lanterns, and then you help me out in return.”

They shook hands again, then went back to staring at the fire. Ed rubbed his arm.

“You know, who said you had to stay in Xing? If life’s so bad for you there, why don’t you just leave?”

Ling sighed. “Because always worrying about where your next meal is coming from isn’t ideal. Sleeping on the streets isn’t, either. For once in my life, I’d just like to be...comfortable. Secure.”

“Safe and protected,” Ed added.

“Exactly.”

“It’s not all it’s cracked up to be,” Ed chuckled. 

Ling heard the sardonicism in his tone and leaned forward to get a look at his face, which he was hiding behind his curtain bangs. 

“Hey. Thank goodness it’s not worse. Right?”

“Yeah, I could be stuck with an untrustworthy wanted thief as my escort.”

“Hey, I’ve gotten you this far with no hiccups, right?”

They looked at each other and laughed, their joy escalating the more they did. Once their laughter dissipated into small chuckles, Ed noticed Ling get a little fidgety.

“I should...I should get more firewood,” Ling said.

Ed smiled as he disappeared into the woods. His smile quickly dropped, along with his stomach, when he heard a familiar voice behind him.

“I thought he’d never leave!”

“Mom?!” 

Ed turned to Dante, draped in the blackness of the woods and illuminated by the moonlight. She lowered her hood.

“Hello, darling.”

“How...how did you find me?”

Dante approached and pulled Edward into a reluctant hug.

“It was easy. I just followed the sound of complete and utter betrayal and followed that.”

Ed winced, “Mom…”

She interrupted sharply, “We’re going home. Now.”

Ed yanked his arm out of her grip. “Wait! Mom, I know I broke your trust, but I’ve been on this awesome adventure. I’ve seen and learned so much, and about the things I’m capable of. I even met someone, and I think--”

“Yes, the wanted thief. I‘m so proud,” she deadpanned. 

“Mom, listen! I think,” he looked hopefully into her eyes with a soft smile. “I think he likes me.”

“Likes you? Ugh, Edward, don’t be ridiculous. This just shows how naive you are. Now, come with me back to your tower where you’ll be safe.”

Ed balled his fists. “No!”

The forest seemed to go quiet and still, save for the heart pounding in Edward’s chest.

“No?” Dante repeated with an icy sneer. “I see how it is, Edward.”

Dante surged forward, her sudden movement and terrifying expression making Ed flinch back as she forcefully grabbed his wrist. “You think one day in the woods has made you an expert, don’t you? You’re so mature now? Just wait, Edward. You’re going to get hurt just like everyone who sets foot in this terrible world does. And when that boy decides to carry you off to Xing like an object to be used for others’ personal gain--”

Ed shrunk away from Dante, and muttered out, “He wouldn’t do that…”

“Oh? What makes you so sure? Honestly, Edward, you’re so stupid! He’s a desperate young man who is so out for himself that he betrayed two young girls to get what he wants. And you thought it was a bright idea to tell him what you are? Any feelings he seems to have for you are a manipulation tactic to get what he wants. When you get your heart broken, you know who will be there for you,” Dante let go of her grip and stormed off into the woods, and as soon as she was gone it was as if life had reawoken in the forest. 

Ed wanted to curl up and hide under something, anything. He flinched when he heard Ling’s cheerful voice.

“So, Edward, am I going to get any super strength from being healed by the stone, because that would be fantastic,” He laughed as he struggled with a large bundle of firewood. He froze when he saw Ed facing the other way. “You alright?”

Ed dropped the tension in his shoulders and turned, plastering on a fake grin. “I’m great! Just thinking, is all.”

Ling nodded and got to work on the fire. 

“See I’ve always been fast and nimble, but imagine if I was super strong, as well!” Ling went on, despite Ed only half listening, “I’d be unstoppable!” 

\---

Dante paraded through the woods. This is just how she expected things to go, but she couldn’t stop the anger from bubbling up. 

Mei and Lan Fan perked up when they saw her. 

“So what now?”

Dante calmed herself and smirked. “You’ll get the stone, and Ling will pay for his mistakes. But if you want the best results, you’ll need to wait.”

Yes, Ling will pay for taking the stone away from Dante, and Ed will be so broken he’d never want to leave the tower again.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IM SO HAPPY I FINALLY WROTE MORE THANKS TO EVERYONE FOR BEING SO PATIENT!
> 
> fun little...easter egg? i guess you can call it.--ed's new outfit is his CoS outfit (albeit brighter in color to match the tone, rather than the muted real-world colors) and ling's outfit is flynn/eugene's outfit without the blue vest (because in my head ling doesn't really pop in blue like he does in yellow and white, and i wasn't gonna give him a yellow vest)
> 
> anyway thanks again for everyone who is invested in this self-indulgent, cheesy crap. im not usually a romance writer, either, so i have no idea what I'm doing. thank god it's disney and the romance is very sweet and simple.

Ling awoke to rain droplets on his face, and groaned, but his groan was halted when he felt warm breath and the sound of panting inches from his face. He opened his eyes, squinting from the bright morning light, until they focused on a shiba inu hovering over him with its ears pinned back to its neck and its lips curled in a snarl.

Ling gulped. “I hope you’re here to apologize,” he grinned sheepishly. 

The screams that followed woke Ed up with a jolt to the scene of Black Hayate dragging Ling by his pant leg away. 

Ed surged forward and grabbed Ling’s hands, and was surprised to find the small dog’s strength unbelievable. The two played tug-o-war until Envy crawled from Ed’s shoulder, over Ling’s body and onto Hayate’s snout. He yelped and let go, sending Ling flying towards Ed. 

Ed and Ling scurried to their feet and readied their stances to face the vicious beast, but Hayate was preoccupied with the weird lizard standing between him and his target. He had his head tilted in confusion, and tail straightened out in alertness. 

Ed broke the stare down and kneeled. 

“Ed. Ed, no. Don’t do it,” Ling gasped.

Ed rolled his eyes. “It’s a freaking dog, Ling.”

“He almost killed me!” 

Ed ignored him and held his hand out. “Hey, buddy.”

Black Hayate redirected his attention, ears back again in suspicion. 

“Hey, it’s okay,” Ed soothed, still exposing his hand to be sniffed. Hayate approached it and sniffed it wearily, licking it after a few moments of contemplation. Ed grinned and pet him, scruffing his face and speaking in a typical dog voice.

“Who’s a good boy?”

Ling’s mouth dropped open, but he closed it when he accepted that Ed was just going to keep being amazing and he should start expecting it. 

Still, Ling didn’t like what was going on. 

“Oh come on! He’s a bad dog! Bad dog!” He emphasized. 

Hayate recoiled in response.

“Hey! He’s the best dog in the world!” Ed looked for his collar. “And he has an awesome name: ‘Black Hayate.’”

“Well we all know by now you have a tacky sense of taste!” Ling quipped.

“At least I have taste,” Ed snapped. 

Hayate, remembering Ling’s presence, began to growl. 

“Hey, sh sh. Listen Black Hayate. I need you to do me a favor. Today’s the biggest day of my life and I need you not to get him arrested.”

Hayate flinched back.

“Just for today!” Ed interjected. “Then you can chase him all you want.”

Hayate turned his head, clearly in a pout. Ling crawled forward to kneel directly in front of the dog. He put his hand out.

“It’s...also my birthday,” Ed said slyly, “just in case you were wondering.”

Hayate tried to remain unmoving, but broke. He put his paw in Ling’s hand and the two shook on their temporary truce. 

Their shake was ended by Ed walking right between them, mouth agape. 

The castle was so close, just over the trees. He broke into a sprint down the pathway until he came to a cobblestone bridge, leading to the castle town nestled on a hilly island, with the castle itself adorning the center and peak of the mountain. 

It couldn’t have been a quarter past seven in the morning, and people were swarming the streets running their errands. Ed couldn’t contain his excitement and shouted back at Ling and Hayate.

“Oh my god!” 

He sprinted across the bridge, glancing at the boat traffic on the bay with fascination (he had never seen a boat before!) without stopping his bounding bare feet. 

Ling watched him sprint towards the town, but his amusement was cut short by the sight of his own wanted poster. He crumpled it up, until Hayate glared at him and made him pause. In defiance, he threw the paper ball at the dog’s snout. 

“Fetch,” he smirked.

As Ling entered the town, half expecting Ed to be terrorizing someone, he realized their error. Ed’s clothes, a black undershirt and blue slacks (of course Ed would wear black and blue together) with no shoes, along with Ling’s obviously Xingese attire, made them both stick out. They were already getting strange looks. 

Ling whistled to get Ed’s attention, who was captivated by chalk drawings on the ground. He seemed to be longing for some chalk himself to add whatever demonic creation he desired to the array of sketchy flowers and rainbows. Ling made note of that and promised himself to get him some chalk after they got something that could pass for normal clothes.

“Ed, we need to change our outfits. We don’t exactly blend in.”

“Okay. Where do we get clothes?”

“I see a shop from here.”

“Don’t we need money?”

“I can scrape something together to trade, I’m sure. I’m an expert trader when I’m not stealing.”

“I can just transmute some money, you know.”

“I couldn’t ask you to do that.”

“Well I want to have a good time today, and if that means we need better clothes to avoid me being grounded for life and you being executed, then screw morals.”

“I’m worried I’ve become a bad influence on you…”

Ed rolled his eyes and picked up some rocks and cupped them in his hand.

“And I’ve been a good influence on you, since you’re not stealing anything, so I guess we’re even. Life hasn’t been exactly fair to either of us. We deserve a break.”

Ling had to agree, because even if it was just unhealthy rationalization, life demands to be lived. 

Ed concentrated until some sparks flew from between his fingers. When he separated his hand, he had some nicely shaped gold pieces. 

“Shopping time,” Ed smiled. 

—

Ling was able to convince Ed not to buy anything that was obnoxiously red or black, spiked, or armored. Reluctantly, Ed left the shop in the most bland thing they could find, but it didn’t do anything to hide Ed’s handsomeness.

They got him a button-up with a tan vest that matched his slacks. He had also taken out his messy braid and just put his silky blonde hair into a mid-level ponytail. The ensemble didn’t make him appear any bulkier, but it somehow made him seem taller and more his age.

Ling blushed at the realization that he was staring and went back to trying on glasses. His jet black hair was already stuffed into a hat, and he himself was dressed in in a white cotton undershirt and tan trousers. He found the boots uncomfortable and restricting compared to his flats, though based on Ed’s stiff gait he wasn’t alone in the feeling. 

“I get that you’re a wanted criminal, but it’s stupid you have to disguise yourself just for being Xingese.”

“Yeah, I agree. That’s just the political climate right now, unfortunately. Amestris doesn’t trust anyone not from their country, and Xing has been trying to figure out what Amestris is hiding for years. Guess the paranoia of a weapon wasn’t far-fetched.”

“A weapon?”

Ling looked from his reflection and noticed the flash of distress on Ed’s face. It made his heart sink.

“I’m not saying you’re a weapon,” he reassured. “But Xing suspected from the legends that Amestris had some sort of power that could be dangerous in the wrong hands.”

Ling knew Ed understood that. Ed was raised on the idea of humans being greedy and cruel, but it occurred to Ling that his choice of words inflicted a new kind of reality on him. Being used for immortality is one thing. Being used as a weapon was a concept he probably didn’t consider.

“Yeah.” Ed whispered. His gaze turned back to their reflections. 

Ling’s mouth moved on its own. “Ed. You’re more than the stone. You know that right?”

Ed pursed his lips and let a few seconds tick by, alerting Ling that maybe he had never been told such a thing. “You look good,” Ed mumbled, redirecting the focus.

Ling mentally tripped. Ed must’ve taken his lack of response as offense, because he started freaking out.

“I don’t mean you didn’t look good before, obviously! I just thought that’s what you say when someone tries on a new outfit that compliments them or whatever! You look like a pirate with the shirt and boots and belt and you look cool. Okay?”

Ling gulped back the butterflies trying to escape from his stomach and tried to keep calm (because nothing catches him off guard, of course). “Well my pirate look compliments your college professor look, which suits you by way, surprisingly.” 

“Thanks?”

“You look good, too.”

Ed smiled widely in appreciation. 

“Can we go now?” He laughed looking out the window eagerly. 

“Lead the way, Your Highness.” 

—

There was something contagious about the way Ed lived. He had no plan and no reservations to act in the moment. Every sight and every sound he absorbed, excited by the all the stimulation when he had been used to the quiet and unmoving, rather than being caught off guard and anxious. 

Ling had always enjoyed the world through a lens. He always had a plan; he hardly ever acted without some level of certainty about how his actions would pan out. When he was impulsive and made split-second decisions, he got himself into trouble with others and even with himself, but Ed did it so effortlessly. Every moment was just that moment, with no analyzing it or thinking about his next move beyond figuring it out as he went. 

It was amazing. 

Ling hadn’t had a carefree day since...ever. Even with the threat of guards finding him and possibly being executed and Ed’s identity being discovered and him being used for others’ personal gain, somehow Ling was able to forget all of it and spend a day not worrying about the future. 

They listened to music in the square and tried to learn the Amestrian dance moves. Despite all of Ed’s physical prowess demonstrated the day before, he didn’t have a rhythmic bone in his body. The people in town were inspired by them and joined in on a group dance, which attracted more musicians and turned into a massive party.

They scoured the library for books. Ling preferred picture books, being only passably literate in Xing and horribly illiterate in Amestris, but he found a common ground with Ed in looking at atlases and maps of the world. A long discussion about where they’d each go and what they’d do if given the opportunity to travel followed. Ed joked about still needing a travel companion, which made Ling mentally entertain the idea for the next hour. 

They tried so many different foods that they ended up spending a good hour nursing their food hangovers laying on the center fountain in the sun. If Ed’s cells regenerated at a normal rate, he surely would’ve gotten a sunburn with his fair complexion from years spent inside. Instead, he marvelled at Ling’s tan and kept comparing his arm hoping for some sort of change in his own skin color. Then he ranted about the chemistry involved in the sun’s interaction with skin, spouting off mumbo-jumbo about photons and wavelengths that made no sense to Ling. It was when he mentioned a theoretical concoction that protects one from the sun that Ling was sure they could make bank on a product and started questioning every detail. 

At one point Ed stopped to stare at the mural of the king and queen and their baby. Ed seemed transfixed by it for quite some time, but the line forming to pay respects to the kingdom’s mysterious ‘lost prince’ forced him to tear his focus away. By then, Ling had paid off someone at the docks for a small rowboat.

The day was packed with celebration, and it made the anticipation for the lanterns that much sweeter. The announcement rang through the square that the festival would begin soon, and everything got strangely quiet as the crowd dispersed to prepare for their somber yet beautiful tradition. 

Feeling brave, Ling took Ed by the hand and led him to a private dock where their chariot awaited. 

“What’s this about?” Ed laughed, noticing Ling’s face beaming with pride. 

“I figured the best day of your life deserves the best seat in the house.”

Ling helped Ed in the boat and took his own seat across from him. He reached out a hand to Envy, who gingerly crawled into his palm, and placed him on the pole where the rope tied. Hayate watched from the dock, whining with his head tilted.

“We’ll be back, buddy,” Ed called.

Ling smirked and threw a small canvas bag. It landed in front of the dog’s paws, and sausage links tumbled out. 

“Consider it a thanks. We owe you a lot, you little mutt,” Ling waved.

Black Hayate ignored the ‘mutt’ comment and turned into a slobbering mess. The links were almost half gone in seconds. 

\----

Ling rowed them out to the middle of the harbour. The sun had just finished setting, and the glassy water reflected the stars in the sky so clearly that the boat might as well have been floating in space. 

The two sat in silence, hearts pounding. Ed sighed.

“You okay?” Ling asked.

“Yeah!” Ed answered way too quickly.

Ling didn’t stop looking into his eyes even when Ed’s darted away.

“Fine. I’m scared,” Ed conceded. 

“Why?”

“What do you mean why?! I’ve been looking forward to this my whole life! I’m freaking terrified it’s going to be a huge let down! Today’s already been amazing. I don’t want it to end in a disappointment.”

“That’s fair. But it won’t be a disappointment. I can assure you.”

“What do you know?”

“Just a hunch.”

“And if you’re right and this is the best moment of my life, then what the hell do I do next?”

“Don’t be so pessimistic. That’s the beauty of it! You find the next best thing of your life to top it.”

Ed stared at the water in thought. After absorbing the idea, and turned back to his travel companion and smiled.

“I can’t believe you’re telling me not to be pessimistic.”

“Well, you’ve rubbed off on me.”

“Good. You needed some sense.”

They laughed, sharing a warm, giddy feeling in their chests.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [man is it hard to write movie montage scenes in novel format]

**Author's Note:**

> check out my art and miscellaneous posts about this au here:   
> https://calangkoh.tumblr.com/tagged/tangled-au
> 
> thanks for reading!


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